Electron beam exposure tools have been used for lithography in semiconductor processing for more than two decades. The first e-beam exposure tools were based on the flying spot concept of a highly focused beam, raster scanned over the object plane. The electron beam is modulated as it scans so that the beam itself generates the lithographic pattern. These tools have been widely used for high precision tasks, such as lithographic mask making, but the raster scan mode is found to be too slow to enable the high throughput required in semiconductor wafer processing. The electron source in this equipment is similar to that used in electron microscopes, i.e. a high brightness source focused to a small spot beam.
More recently, a new electron beam exposure tool was developed based on the SCALPEL (SCattering with Angular Limitation Projection Electron-beam Lithography) technique. In this tool, a wide area electron beam is projected through a lithographic mask onto the object plane. Since relatively large areas of a semiconductor wafer (e.g. 1 mm.sup.2) can be exposed at a time, throughput is acceptable. The high resolution of this tool makes it attractive for ultra fine line lithography, i.e sub-micron.
The requirements for the electron beam source in SCALPEL exposure tools differ significantly from those of a conventional focused beam exposure tool, or a conventional TEM or SEM. While high resolution imaging is still a primary goal, this must be achieved at relatively high (10-100 .mu.A) gun currents in order to realize economic wafer throughput. The axial brightness required is relatively low, e.g. 10.sup.2 to 10.sup.4 Acm.sup.-2 sr.sup.-1, as compared with a value of 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.9 Acm.sup.-2 sr.sup.-1 for a typical focused beam source. However, the beam flux over the larger area must be highly uniform to obtain the required lithographic dose latitude and CD control.
A formidable hurdle in the development of SCALPEL tools was the development of an electron source that provides uniform electron flux over a relatively large area, has relatively low brightness, and has an electron emitter with a sufficient lifetime to avoid excessive downtime. Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB.sub.6) emitters in a modified Wehnelt electron gun arrangement were found to be promising for this application, and the first SCALPEL tools were built with these electron sources. Efforts to improve the uniformity of the electron emission profile over the surface of the LaB.sub.6 have continued, but with limited success. Replacement of the LaB.sub.6 emitter with a simple tantalum disk was found to improve the surface emission uniformity and stability. While SCALPEL systems are regarded as highly successful fine line lithographic exposure tools, efforts continue toward improving the efficiency and uniformity of the electron beam source.